Funky Fireplace Possibilities

While I love fireplaces, mantels and everything that goes with it, I'm not in love with our current fireplace.  It feels more imposing than it does welcoming, cold vs. warm.  Not to mention that it has a funky niche as well that is just ... funky. 

See how unlike me tall and skinny it is?  We have quite a few of these niches in our house, and the tall and skinny ones are definitely the most problematic.  We currently have a tall picture in the niche, but I really just don't love the fireplace space.

So, since we're doing a lot of waiting here in St. Louis, we stopped by a local landscaping business and scoped out their stone options.  We're thinking about adding stone veneer to the existing fireplace in the hopes of coming up with something like this:

Or this:

Stoneyard.com

This also gives us an opportunity to reevaluate our fireplace mantel options as well. Right now, it's not so a mantel, but more of a shelf, and it just all blends together.  It does not make for the kind of mantel linky parties I want to join!

There are some great products out there that are budget friendly and also appealing to the DIYer.  We're thinking that we should mirror some of the stonework that we have on the outside of our home.  Can you see it out the window?

  Another view of the house from the back - notice the stonework on the pillars.

So, I'm adding this project to my ever-growing list.  The upside to this is that my hubby was with me looking at all of these great options and is digging it as much as I am.  Hearing words like, "I just need to get a mason blade" and "It won't be that bad", are music to my ears...

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